Nozzle raising device for suction cleaners



Oct. 4, 1955 D. B. TSCHUDY 2,719,318

NOZZLE RAISING DEVICE] FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Sept. 1, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet l .2 FIG 30 34 36 W: f H 22 I I 4 Q '38 INVENTOR.

DONALD BTSCHUDY ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1955 D. B. TSCHUDY 2,719,318

NOZZLE RAISING DEVICE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Sept. 1, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

INVENTOR. DONALD B. TSCHUDY 7% Jam ATTORNEY United States Patent NOZZLERAISING DEVICE FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Donald B. Tschudy, Canton, Ohio,assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation ofOhio Application September 1, 1951, Serial No. 244,781

9 Claims. (Cl. 333) This invention relates to suction cleaners and moreparticularly to a new "and improved construction by which the cleanercan be converted between on-the-floor and otf-the-floor operation verysimply and expeditiously.

The most convenient location for the converter port on a suction cleaneris the top, forward portion of the suction nozzle. However, there areavariety of problems confronting the designer when so locating theconverter port. If the converter tool is to be inserted axially into thefan eye through the front wall of the nozzle, it is necessary to firstremove the agitator belt, or to provide some means of by-passing thebelt. Numerous arrangements employing both of these methods have beenproposed but none is as convenient or as satisfactory as is desired.Other designers have proposed constructions for inserting the converterperpendicularly to the belt shaft at a point between the rear of thebelt and the fan eye. These have certain advantages but make noprovision for rendering the agitator harmless to carpets while thecleaner is being used for off-the-floor cleaning.

The present invention provides a simple, inexpensive and easily operatedarrangement by which the cleaner is converted to oif-the-fioor operationwithout disturbing the agitator drive and at the same time protectingthe carpet against possibility of injury from the agitator. This isaccomplished by a normally retracted skid device which is springstressed as an incident to the insertion of the converer tool so as toelevate and support the forward end of the cleaner appreciably above thecarpet so long as the converter is in place. Withdrawal of the converterremoves the stress on the spring for the skid device and restores thecleaner to support by the front wheels.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new andimproved cleaner which is readily convertible between on-the-floor andoif-the-floor operation.

Another object is the provision of a cleaner in which insertion of theconverter tool automatically lowers a skid device to support the suctionnozzle at an elevated position so long as the converter is in place andwhich operates to restore the nozzle to its previous operating levelupon withdrawal of the converter.

Yet another object-is the provision'of a substitute support for theforward end of a cleaner whenever the same is converted to oif-the-flooroperation. a

Still another object is the provision of means which is conditioned toelevate the nozzle as an incident to the downward insertion of aconverter tool through the top of the nozzle.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed specification taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Figure 1 is a side view of a cleaner with parts broken away and showingthe position of parts when the converter tool is partially inserted andas it begins to lower the skid support;

2,719,318 Patented Oct. 4, 1955 Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1,but showing the converter fully inserted and the nozzle supported by theskid;

Figure 3 is'a bottom plan view of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a view along line 44 on Figure 2.

The single embodiment herein illustrated comprises a suction cleanerhaving a main body 10 provided with the usual suction nozzle 11 acrossits forward end. Rotatably supported by the end walls of the suctionnozzle is a rotary agitator 12 having the usual litter pick-up brushes13 and beater bars 14--14 disposed along its outer surface, as clearlyappears from Figure 3. Any suitable type of electric motor is housed inthe rear end of body 10 and has a shaft 16 extending forwardly through afan chamber 17 which communicates with the suction nozzle through a faneye 18. A rubber driving belt 19 encircles the midportion of theagitator and its upper end is supported on a driving pulley 20 carriedat the outer end of shaft 16. A radial blade suction fan 21 is mountedon shaft 16 within the fan chamber and discharges the air through anupwardly extending discharge tube at the left hand side of the fanchamber in a manner well known in the art. The usual cloth filter bagmay be connected to the air discharge tube. The upper end of the filteris supported on the propelling handle, the lower bail portion 22 ofwhich is indicated in the drawings.

The cleaner body is supported on a pair of rear wheels 23 and a pair offront carrier wheels 24 which are housed in skirts 25, 25 castintegrally with the rear wall of the suction nozzle. A foot operatedpush button 26 is carried at the rearmost end of the cleaner casing andserves to operate a push-push type switch for the motor. A handleposition control device generally indicated at 27 is mounted on the sideof the cleaner body and cooperates with the handle bail'to control theoperating position and storage positions of the handle. Since thisfeature forms no part of the present invention, it will not be furtherdescribed. I

The converter facilities forming an important feature of the inventionwill now be described. As will be best understood by reference to Figure2, the top forward portion of thesuction nozzle is provided with twoopenings. Lower opening 29 is positioned opposite the end of pulley 20and serves as an access opening through which the belt may be placed onor removed from the pulley. A second opening 30 opens vertically throughthe topmost portion of the suction nozzle and provides a converter portthrough which the converter tool may be inserted when it is desired touse the cleaner for offtl1e-floor cleaning purposes.

Opening 29 is preferably separated from port 30 by a horizontal rib 31having a notch 32 on its inner wall to receive a latch pin 33 carried onleaf spring 34 mounted on the inner front wall of converter tool 35. Abutton 36 secured to the spring projects through an opening in theconverter so as to be conveniently accessible to the operator for thepurpose of operating latch pin 33.

Openings 29 and 30 are preferably covered normally by a closure plate 53having a curved upper end engageable in recess 36 for the purpose ofholding the upper end of the cover in place. The lower, underside of thecover is provided with spring detent members which engage the side wallsof opening 29 to releasably hold the cover in air tight engagement withopenings 29 and 30 so long as the cleaner is in use for on-the-floorcleaning.

The means for supplanting carrier wheels 24, 24 in supporting the frontend of the cleaner during oif-the-floor operation'comprises a plate likeskid member 38 pivotally supported on the underside of the cleaner bodyby a shaft 39 located parallel to and just rearwardly of the rear wallof the suction nozzle. This skid is normally held in the "ice retractedposition indicated in Figure 1 by a torsion spring 40 encircling theshaft'39 and having one end 41 engaging the rear wall of the skid andits other end 42 resting against the rear Wall of the suction nozzle.Spring 40 is comparatively light but is of sufficient strength to holdthe skid and its connecting linkage in the retracted position so long asthe converter tool is not in place in the cleaner.

The operating mechanism for lowering the skid and elevating the forwardend of the nozzle during off-the-floor cleaning comprises a lever 43pivoted on a pin 44 located in an opening extending through the rearwall of the nozzle to one side of the fan chamber. The inner end oflever 43 includes an extension 45 which projects horizontally toward thecenter line of the cleaner and into the path of the lower end ofconverter tool 35, as will be best understood by reference to Figure 4.The other end of lever 43 is connected to a bracket 46 by means of arelatively strong tension spring 47. The forward end of bracket 46 issecured to skid 38, as clearly shown in the drawings.

Normally, spring 47 is untensioned or substantially so and skid member38 is held retracted by torsion spring 40, as indicated in Figure 1.However, when the converter tool is fully seated, it acts to hold lever43 rotated counterclockwise to the position shown in Figure 2, whereinspring 47 is under sufficient tension to hold skid 38 in its lowermostposition wherein the suction nozzle is held elevated from one quarter toone half inch above its normal operating height.

The converter tool may take many forms. In its simplest form itcomprises an open ended tubular member 35. The lower end of the tool isforked to straddle shaft 16, so that an opening 52 on the rear side ofthe converter registers with fan eye 18 when the converter is locked inplace by spring detent 33, 34. The open ended slot 51 in the convertertool is closed during off-the-floor cleaning by a tongue 50 formedintegrally with the rear wall of the suction nozzle and extendingvertically to a point closely adjacent the underside of shaft 16. Thistongue has a width somewhat greater than slot 51 in the converter tooland cooperates with the rear edges of slot 51 to seal the suction nozzlefrom the fan chamber.

Operation Let us assume that the cleaner is in use for on-the-floorcleaning. Skid 38 will then be in the retracted position shown in Figure1 and the converter cover will be in place over openings 29 and 30.

To convert to off-the-floor cleaning the operator grasps the lower edgeof the converter cover and lifts it upwardly to detach it from recess36. The forked end of the converter tool 35 is then inserted downwardlythrough port 30 so as to straddle pulley shaft 16. As the lower lefthand corner engages extension 45 on the forward end of lever 43, thislever is rotated counterclockwise to tension spring 47 and pivot skid 38clockwise about shaft 39. Since the stress thus imposed on spring 47 issomewhat greater than the weight carried by the front carrier wheels 24,24 this stored energy is available to pivot skid member 38 downwardlyand raise nozzle 11 and agitator 12 to the elevated, non-carpet cleaningposition show-n in Figure 2 as soon as latch 33 engages in notch 32 andas soon as the operator removes downward pressure applied to the cleaneras an incident to the insertion of the converter. Opening 52 in the rearwall of the converter is then in registery with fan eye 18 and thesuction air flow is confined to the converter tool itself and the fanchamber.

Usually, the downward pressure applied to the converter tool by theoperator :acts through lever 43 to hold the front end of the cleanerfully supported on wheels 24; however, as soon as the operator releasesher hold on the converter tool, the energy stored .in spring 47 pivotsskid 38 downward to a further extent and lifts the suction nozzlecompletely off the carpet to a position which it is impossible for therotating agitator to injure the carpet.

As a result, so long as the cleaner is converted to off-theflooroperation, spring 47 cooperates with skid 38 and rear wheels 23, 23 tohold the cleaner in the inclined position illustrated in Figure 2.

The usual flexible hose and cleaning tools are then coupled to the upperend of the converter tool and the operator proceeds to clean in theusual manner pulling the cleaner about the room on skid 38 and rearwheels 23. The propelling handle may be left in its inclined restposition indicated in the drawings or, if desired, it may be raised tothe vertical storage position. The operation of the cleaner iscontrolled by the push-push motor switch which opens or closes each timebutton 26 is depressed by the foot.

To reconvert to on-the-floor cleaning, the operator merely depressesbutton 36 to release the converter tool whereupon it is withdrawn fromthe converter port. As this occurs, spring 47 is free to collapseleaving torsion spring 40 free to retract skid 38 and return lever 43and spring 47 to its untensioned position as shown in Figure 1. willthus be clear that, as the tool is withdrawn, the suction nozzle isautomatically restored to its normal on-thefloor operating position. Theonly remaining operation is to replace the'converter cover so that itsupper end is located in recess 36 and the springs on its lower endcooperate with the edges of opening 29 to hold it firmly seated overopenings 29 and 30. The cleaner is now fully restored to its originalon-the-floor operating condition.

While I have shown but a single modification of my invention it is to beunderstood that this modification is to be taken as illustrative onlyand not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to theparticular structure shown and described but to include all equivalentvariations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a suction cleaner having a front and rear wheelsupported body provided with a suction nozzle in front of said frontwheels, a motor driven suction fan communicating with said nozzle, arotary agitator having a driving connection with said fan, of means forconverting said cleaner from on-the-fioor to oif-thefioor operationincluding a converter port opening through the wall of said suctionnozzle and leading to the inlet for said suction fan, normally retractedsupporting means movably mounted on said cleaner for supplanting saidfront wheels in supporting said cleaner during oif-t-he-floor operation,converter operated means connected with said normally retractedsupporting means including a spring of sufi rcient strength whenstressed by the insertion of the converter to support the weight of thefront end of said cleaner, said converter operated means having aportion thereof positioned in the path of a converter tool as it isinserted through said port and being movable thereby to stress saidspring so that said stressed spring is then operative to lower saidnormally retracted supporting means and hold said agitator out ofcontact with the carpet so long as the cleaner is converted tooffthe-floor operation.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said normally retractedsupporting means comprises a skid memberextending crosswise of saidcleaner and pivotally supported thereon at a point adjacent said frontwheels.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said converter operatedspring means includes a lever pivotally supported on the wall of saidsuction nozzle, said lever having one end positioned in the path of aconverter tool as the latter is inserted through said port and havingits other end connected to said skid member through a normally relaxedtension spring.

4. The combination with a suction cleaner having a front and rear wheelsupported body provided with a suction nozzle in front of said frontwheels, a motor driven suction fan communicating with said suctionnozzle through an inlet, a rotary agitator connectedwith said fan so asto be driven whenever said fan is driven, of means for converting saidcleaner from on-the-floor to ofi-thefloor operation comprising, aconverter port in the front wall of said nozzle at a point overlyingsaid fan inlet for receiving a converter tool downwardly therethrough,a'skid member pivoted crosswise of said cleaner at a point rearward ofsaid suction nozzle, means for normally holding said member retractedout of contact with the carpet, lever means including a normally relaxedspring connected to said skid member and cooperable therewith to elevatesaid agitator out of contact with the carpet during off-the-floorcleaning, said lever means having a portion thereof located in the pathof a converter as it is inserted through said port and being operable onthe insertion of a converter tool through said port to stress saidnormally relaxed spring whereby the energy so stored therein isoperative to lower said skid member as the operator removes downwardpressure on said cleaner incident to the insertion of said convertertool.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein the withdrawal of saidconverter tool releases the stress on said normally relaxed spring andallows said means for normally holding said skid member retracted tobecome operative and return said member to a position out of contactwith the carpet.

6. The combination with a suction cleaner having a body provided with asuction nozzle at the forward end thereof, front and rear supportingwheels for said body, a motor driven suction fan on said body having anaxis extending longitudinally of said body, a belt pulley on the forwardend of the shaft for said fan, a rotary agitator in said nozzle, a beltextending between said agitator and said pulley, said belt being spacedforwardly of an inlet opening into said fan from said nozzle, aconverter port through the front wall of said nozzle extendingdownwardly to said fan inlet, temporary supporting means including aspring for supplanting said front wheel in supporting said suctionnozzle during otf-the-floor cleaning, means for normally holding saidtemporary supporting means retracted, said temporary supporting meanshaving a portion thereof located in the path of said converter tool asthe same is connected to said fan inlet for stressing said spring andbiasing said supporting means sufficiently for the energy so stored inthe spring to elevate said nozzle and agitator out of contact with acarpet while a converter tool is connected to said fan inlet.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 wherein said converter tool isconnectable to said fan inlet by the unidirectional insertion thereofthrough said converter port, and cooperating means on said tool and onsaid cleaner for holding said tool locked in place in said cleanerduring otf-the-floor cleaning.

8. The combination defined in claim 6 wherein said converter portextends downwardly through said front nozzle wall from a point overlyingsaid pulley shaft so that a converter tool inserted through said openinginto registry with said fan inlet occupies the space between said inletand the rear side of said agitator driving belt.

9. The combination with a suction cleaner having a wheel supported bodyprovided with a suction nozzle carrying a rotary agitator at the forwardend thereof, a motor-driven suction fan in said body having an inletcommunicating with said nozzle, a belt extending between said fan andagitator for driving the latter, a converter port in said nozzle forreceiving a converter tool arranged to register with said fan inlet whenit is desired to use said cleaner for off-the-floor cleaning, elevatingmeans on said cleaner operable to hold said nozzle and agitator in anelevated non-carpet cleaning position while said converter is connectedwith fan inlet comprising, temporary nozzle supporting means movablymounted on said cleaner, a converter actuated member movably mounted onsaid cleaner in the path of the converter as the same is insertedthrough said port, normally relaxed spring means interconnecting saidtemporary supporting means and said converter actuated member, means fornormally holding said temporary supporting means retracted whereby theinsertion of a converter tool through said port is operable to contactand move said converter actuated member and stress said spring meanssufficiently to lower said temporary nozzle supporting means and elevatethe nozzle and agitator out of contact with a carpet so long as theconverter is connected to said cleaner for olf-the-floor operation, andmeans for locking a converter in place in said port.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

